Prevalence Of Gender-based Violence Research Articles

Perceptions from the outside in cases of gender violence. ‘What are you [the interpreter] doing here?’

AbstractA 2011 Gender Violence Macrosurvey carried out by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas (CIS, Spanish Centre for Sociological Research) in collaboration with the Spanish Government warns that “the prevalence of gender-based violence amongst foreign women is twice that of Spanish women.” The problem gets worse when these women do not speak the contact language, in this case Spanish. The efforts of the Spanish Administration and the information and support provided to every gender violence victim hardly ever reach foreign victims, who essentially need the assistance of interpreters. When the presence of qualified interpreters (or interpreters at all) is not guaranteed, this may lead to inadequate, inaccurate and inefficient communication. The main purpose of this paper is to present the results of a survey conducted in 2013 amongst the main agents involved in the communication process with foreign victims of gender violence who do not speak Spanish or co-official languages. The sample size is about 600 answers by agents distributed in four fields (police, legal, health, welfare) with the majority of respondents from the police. The survey includes questions about how communication problems without an interpreter are solved, which protocol – if any – is followed to seek the assistance of an interpreter, how often they use interpreters, what problems they have experienced working with them and what they think is the interpreters’ role as well as what strategies or specific knowledge interpreters may have.

La interpretación en contextos de violencia de género con referencia al caso español

Official statistics show that the prevalence of gender-based violence (gv) in Spain is twice as high among foreign women, who are particularly vulnerable to this type of violence for different reasons. Spanish authorities have taken measures aimed at creating a comprehensive system of public resources to meet the needs of victims. However, if many GV victims fail to come forward for help for different reasons, foreign victims must also face language barriers. The current official support network does not include specific language services for these women, and interpreting in gv cases follows the pattern of Public Service Interpreting (psi), which means that communication problems are solved with non-professional solutions more often than not. Against this background, this paper will discuss the particular complexity of communication in gv contexts which demands that interpreters develop specific competences. Without the proper qualification of interpreters and professionalisation of language services, foreign victims of gv can be revictimised by the very same system envisaged to guarantee the rights and safety of all women, regardless of their nationality, national or ethnic origin, race, religion, or other status.

Prevalence of Gender Based Violence and Associated Factors among Female Students of Menkorer High School in Debre Markos Town, Northwest Ethiopia

Introduction: Gender based violence (GBV) is a common reproductive health problem especially in developing countries. It commonly occurs among women and young girls than men, and it has several sexual and reproductive health complications like STIs including HIV/AIDS, unwanted pregnancy, abortion and other complications. So, this research is done to assess the prevalence of GBV and associated factors among Menkorer high school female students in Debre Markos town, Ethiopia. Methodology: Institutional based cross sectional study was conducted among 140 female high school students of Debre Markos town. All randomly selected regular female students were included in the study. Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. For data entry EpiData version 3.1 and for analysis SPSS version 22 software were used. Descriptive analysis was done to describe the frequency and percentage of dependent and independent variables. To identify possible factors associated with the dependent variable, bivariate and multivariate analysis were done. 95% confidence interval (CI) and p-value less than 5% were used to determine the association. Result: The prevalence of Gender based violence (physical or/and sexual violence) during the current academic year was 72 (57.3%), while life time prevalence of GBV was 67.7%. The prevalence of life time physical violence and physical violence during the current academic year was 82 (66.1%) and 68 (54.8%) respectively. Thirty (24.2%) have experience life time sexual violence. Factors associated with gender based violence were educational performance of good and above (AOR=0.09, 95%CI 0.009-0.88), and never drinking alcohol (AOR=0.38, 95%CI 0.15-0.93). Conclusion and Recommendation: This study found that gender based violence is still a common problem among high school female students. The prevalence of current and life time physical and sexual violence among female students was high. So, school and community based services like awareness creation for both male and female students on GBV and laws related with GBV should be strengthened.

The Holy Month Of Violence : The Prevalence Of Gender-Based Violence In Egyptian Television Series During Ramadan 2012

The Holy Month Of Violence : The Prevalence Of Gender-Based Violence In Egyptian Television Series During Ramadan 2012

HIV, violence and women: Unmet mental health care needs

BackgroundHIV-infected (HIV+) women have high rates of Gender Based Violence (GBV). Studies of GBV find that approximately 50–90% of survivors develop mood and anxiety disorders. Given that women in sub-Saharan African constitute the largest population of HIV+ individuals in the world and the region׳s high GBV prevalence, mental health research with HIV+ women affected by GBV (HIV+GBV+) in this region is urgently needed. MethodsQualitative methods were used to evaluate the mental health care needs of HIV+GBV+ female patients at an HIV clinic in the Kisumu County, Kenya. Thirty in-depth interviews and four focus groups were conducted with patients, healthcare providers and community leaders. Interviews were transcribed, translated and analyzed using qualitative data software. ResultsRespondents stated that physical, sexual and emotional violence against HIV+ women was widely prevalent and perpetrated primarily by untested husbands accusing a wife of marital infidelity following her positive HIV test result. Mental health problems among HIV+GBV+ women included depressive, anxiety, traumatic stress symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Participants opined that emotional distress from GBV not only caused HIV treatment default, but also led to poor HIV health even if adherent. Respondents agreed that mental health treatment was needed for HIV+GBV+ women; most agreed that the best treatment modality was individual counseling delivered weekly at the HIV clinic. LimitationsEmotional distress may be higher and/or more varied among HIV+GBV+ women who are not engaged in HIV care. ConclusionsMental health care is needed and desired by HIV+GBV+ women in Kisumu County, Kenya.

Prevalence of rape and client-initiated gender-based violence among female sex workers: Kampala, Uganda, 2012.

We utilized data from the 2012 Crane Survey in Kampala, Uganda to estimate prevalence of rape among female sex workers (FSWs) and to identify risk factors for and prevalence of client-initiated gender-based violence (GBV) among FSWs. Participants were recruited using respondent-driven sampling. Analyses were weighted using RDSAT-generated individualized weights for each of the five dependent GBV outcomes. Analyses were conducted utilizing SAS 9.3. Among 1,467 FSWs who were interviewed, 82 % (95 % CI: 79-84) experienced client-initiated GBV and 49 % (95 % CI: 47-53) had been raped at least once in their lifetime. GBV risk increased with increasing frequency of client demands for unprotected sex, length of time engaged in sex work, and FSW alcohol consumption. Risk decreased when sex with clients occurred at the FSW's or client's house or a hotel compared to when sex occurred in open spaces. Our findings demonstrate a high prevalence of GBV among FSWs. This research reinforces the urgent need for GBV prevention and response strategies to be integrated into FSW programming and the continuing need for GBV research among key populations.

Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence: Preliminary Findings from a Field Assessment in Six Shelters in Kosovo

Gender-based violence(GBV) is a term describing harm perpetrated against a person that results from unequal power relationships determined by social roles ascribed to males and females.While recognizing that boys and man may be exposed to gendered violence,the inequality of power that is the foundatione of GBV ,coupled whith women's inferior status in virtually all societies,means that women and girls are the primary targets of GBV around the globe.As such ,the term GBV continues to be used principally in reference to violence against women and girls.ln a definition put forth 1993 that is stilo widely referenced today.the United Nationes classified violence against women as any act of gender -besed violence that result in,or is likely to result in,physical,sexual,or psychological harm or suffering to women ,including threats of such acts,coercion,or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.wether occurring in public or private life(United Nationes 1993). This definition highlights that violence against women encompasses a broad range of abuses,from assault to emotional and institutional abuse or the thread of such abuse.As such,manifestations of GBV might variously include,exploitation,trafficking of women and girls,denial of rights,exclusion from social benefits and other forms of discrimination,and cultural practices that have harmful implications for women and girls. Source: Alwesson, Mac & Billing Yvone Duet 1997 (Understanding Gender and Organizations)

Tip of the iceberg: reporting and gender-based violence in developing countries.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is widespread globally and has myriad adverse health effects but is vastly underreported. Few studies address the extent of reporting bias in existing estimates. We provide bounds for underestimation of reporting of GBV to formal and informal sources conditional on having experienced GBV and characterize differences between women who report and those who do not. We analyzed Demographic and Health Survey data from 284,281 women in 24 countries collected between 2004 and 2011. We performed descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regressions examining characteristics associated with reporting to formal sources. Forty percent of women experiencing GBV previously disclosed to someone; however, only 7% reported to a formal source (regional variation, 2% in India and East Asia to 14% in Latin America and the Caribbean). Formerly married and never married status, urban residence, and increasing age were characteristics associated with increased likelihood of formal reporting. Our results imply that estimates of GBV prevalence based on health systems data or on police reports may underestimate the total prevalence of GBV, ranging from 11- to 128-fold, depending on the region and type of reporting. In addition, women who report GBV differ from those who do not, with implications for program targeting and design of interventions.

Invited Commentary: Disclosure of Gender-Based Violence in Developing Countries

The evolving concept of gender-based violence (GBV) is a multifaceted issue of public health significance. Until recently, most studies examining GBV have been conducted in North America. In this issue of the Journal, Palermo et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2014;179(5):602-612) report their secondary analyses involving approximately 300,000 women from 24 developing countries who participated in Demographic and Health Surveys between 2004 and 2011. The focus of their article is on the prevalence and determinants of disclosure of GBV to formal authorities, including health care or legal professionals, police, and nongovernmental organizations. Their results indicate a wide gap between prevalence of GBV (40%) and GBV disclosure (7%), implying an underestimation of GBV that ranges from 11- to 128-fold, depending on the region and type of reporting. The extent of underreporting of GBV also varied according to personal characteristics such as age, marital status and urban or rural residence. GBV has been linked to a myriad of health problems, and it has been shown that health care utilization is considerably higher among women who have experienced GBV. Primary and secondary prevention efforts should continue to target GBV, and creative ways of addressing GBV nondisclosure should take into account regional variations and personal characteristics of affected women.

An assessment of gender inequitable norms and gender-based violence in South Sudan: a community-based participatory research approach

BackgroundFollowing decades of conflict, South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Prolonged conflict, which included gender-based violence (GBV), exacerbated gender disparities. This study aimed to assess attitudes towards gender inequitable norms related to GBV and to estimate the frequency of GBV in sampled communities of South Sudan.MethodsApplying a community-based participatory research approach, 680 adult male and female household respondents were interviewed in seven sites within South Sudan in 2009–2011. Sites were selected based on program catchment area for a non-governmental organization and respondents were selected by quota sampling. The verbally-administered survey assessed attitudes using the Gender Equitable Men scale. Results were stratified by gender, age, and education.ResultsOf 680 respondents, 352 were female, 326 were male, and 2 did not provide gender data. Among respondents, 82% of females and 81% of males agreed that ‘a woman should tolerate violence in order to keep her family together’. The majority, 68% of females and 63% of males, also agreed that ‘there are times when a woman deserves to be beaten’. Women (47%) were more likely than men (37%) to agree that ‘it is okay for a man to hit his wife if she won’t have sex with him’ (p=0.005). Agreement with gender inequitable norms decreased with education. Across sites, 69% of respondents knew at least one woman who was beaten by her husband in the past month and 42% of respondents knew at least one man who forced his wife or partner to have sex.ConclusionThe study reveals an acceptance of violence against women among sampled communities in South Sudan. Both women and men agreed with gender inequitable norms, further supporting that GBV programming should address the attitudes of both women and men. The results support promotion of education as a strategy for addressing gender inequality and GBV. The findings reveal a high frequency of GBV across all assessment sites; however, population-based studies are needed to determine the prevalence of GBV in South Sudan. South Sudan, the world’s newest nation, has the unique opportunity to implement policies that promote gender equality and the protection of women.

More Than a Billion Women Face ‘Gender Based Violence’; Where Are Most Victims?

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is a global problem. Many household surveys in the last few decades, by various agencies, have attempted to assess GBV prevalence. There are many problems in comparing data from different surveys, some of which are discussed in this paper. This paper takes the (controversial) approach of assuming findings from different surveys can be compared with each other, despite problems such as different question wording in different surveys. If this approach is accepted, it may help researchers identify which parts of the world have the worst problems of GBV. Evidence reported here can be used to test theories about causes of GBV, such as culture. It appears that GBV is more prevalent in some regions than others, but the cause of this geographical pattern is not clear.

Gendering the Arab Spring

The article discusses the gendered implications of recent political developments in the region. It argues that women and gender are key to both revolutionary and counter-revolutionary processes and developments and not marginal to them. It explores the significance of women’s involvement, the historical context of women’s political participation and marginalization in political transition. Theoretically, developments in the region point to the centrality of women and gender when it comes to constructing and controlling communities, be they ethnic, religious or political; the significance of the state in reproducing, maintaining and challenging prevailing gender regimes, ideologies, discourses and relations; the instrumentalization of women’s bodies and sexualities in regulating and controlling citizens and members of communities; the prevalence of gender-based violence; the historically and cross-culturally predominant construction of women as second-class citizens; the relationship between militarization and a militarized masculinity that privileges authoritarianism, social hierarchies and tries to marginalize and control not only women but also non-normative men.

Gender-Based Violence in Women and Mental Disorders

To the Editor: Dr Rees and colleagues studied the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) among women and the relationship with mental disorders and psychosocial function. However, they did not comment on the possible role of intergenerational transmission of violence: children exposed to violence have a high chance to abuse or be abused in their adult life. In the article, Table 2 shows that women who reported any childhood nonsexual trauma had the highest prevalence of GBV later in life (55.77%), which is higher than any other patient characteristic described in the table. Unfortunately, the researchers did not investigate the association between nonsexual childhood trauma, GBV, and mental disorders. Early support for children exposed to violence may be an important factor to prevent intergenerational transmission and therefore GBV and associated mental disorders, just as social support is important to reduce GBV and the negative mental health effects of GBV. The authors collected data on social support but used it only as a control factor. We support an integrative approach to the provision of services for GBV and mental health disorders and agree that existingprogramsmightnotbeequippedto treatboth.However, women experiencing GBV are often not ready cognitively or emotionallytotakeadvantageofexistinghealthcareprograms. Therefore, initial interventionshouldnot focusontreatingdisorders but may need to first improve women’s readiness to change. Mentor support for mothers is one example of an intervention that focuseson increasingsocial support andpreparing women to accept further treatment. During this support,mentalhealthproblemscanbediagnosed,andwhenawomanisreadytoacceptmentalhealthcare,anintegrativeapproach includingbothGBVandmentalhealthassistancecanbeoffered.

Prevalence and correlates of gender-based violence among female university students in Northern Nigeria.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a major public health and human rights problem worldwide. The extent of this problem in educational institutions has not been explored in Northern Nigeria. Using self administered questionnaires, we determined the prevalence and risk factors for gender-based violence among 300 female university students in Kano, Northern Nigeria. The overall prevalence of gender-based violence was 58.8% [95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 52.9% to 64.5%]. Specifically, 22.8%, 22.2% and 50.8% of students experienced physical, sexual or emotional violence respectively. Religious affiliation ethnicity, indigeneship, marital status, campus residence and faculty affiliation were significant predictors of GBV. GBV awareness creation programs, legal protection and implementation of an effective redress mechanism are recommended to curb this menace.

Con un pie en dos islas: cultural bridges that inform sexual and reproductive health in the Dominican Republic and New York

Immigrants from the Dominican Republic have grown in number and currently make up a substantial portion of New York City's population. In order to better understand the cultural context of Dominican women's sexual and reproductive health attitudes and practices, focus groups were conducted with Dominican women living in New York City as well as with women living in the Dominican Republic. Analysis found that women in the USA had more economic independence and a greater sense of freedom in regards to sexuality than women in the Dominican Republic. However, those in New York City also hoped to maintain their cultural identity in many ways. Women associated the prevalence of gender-based violence with male unemployment and alcohol abuse. Women in both locales reported limited condom use and saw contraception as a woman's responsibility. Many barriers to using the healthcare system were identified and, in many cases, there exists a preference for herbal treatments and folk remedies. This study provided many important insights that have the potential to increase the quality of sexual and reproductive health care for Dominican women.

Gendered Economic, Social, and Cultural Challenges to HIV/AIDS Prevention and Intervention for Chinese Women

ABSTRACT China is experiencing the most rapidly expanding HIV prevalence in the world, with the percentage of Chinese women living with HIV/AIDS also increasing significantly. Chinese women's risk of HIV infection is heavily influenced by patriarchal cultural beliefs, Confucian doctrines, and rapid social and economic changes in China. Chinese women generally have a low level of awareness of HIV/AIDS. With inherent inferior social status and economic disadvantage, their vulnerability to HIV infection is heightened by adverse impacts of massive rural-to-urban migration, explosion of the commercial sex industry, and prevalence of gender-based violence. In order to target HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs for Chinese women, their specific needs and gendered obstacles must be addressed and tackled. These include strategies that aim to fight against poverty, improve education, enhance HIV/AIDS awareness, facilitate new life-skills acquisition and behavior change, make available woman-centered services for testing and treatment of HIV, and eradicate gender-based discrimination and violence. There is also an urgent need to further develop various public health infrastructure in China, especially in remote and rural areas. The pool of gender experts in China should also be expanded to conduct a thorough gender analysis and design a national response to address the evolving HIV/AIDS epidemic in Chinese women.

Confronting the Reality of Gender-based Violence in Northern Uganda

Two decades of conflict in northern Uganda have had a devastating impact on the lives of thousands of civilians. Like so many of today's ‘dirty wars,’ gender-related crimes have been pervasive. While numerous disciplines over the past century have developed sophisticated theories for understanding the nature and agency surrounding sexual offences, the nascent field of transitional justice is only just beginning to grapple with these issues or design appropriate measures of redress. This paper is based on research undertaken to look at issues of gender-based violence (GBV) in four camps for the internally displaced in northern Uganda in order to provide insight into the nature and prevalence of GBV within a specific context. The findings show that specific GBV dynamics need to be scrutinised within zones of conflict and taken into consideration in the policies adopted post-conflict. The paper both illuminates the nature of such abuses within the Ugandan context and points to the need for concerted attention to be paid to the pervasive gender dimensions of violence when designing transitional justice mechanisms.

A determination of the prevalence of gender-based violence among conflict-affected populations in East Timor.

The Reproductive Health Response in Conflict (RHRC) Consortium designed a standardised questionnaire to measure gender-based violence (GBV) prevalence in conflict-affected settings. A preliminary field test was undertaken July-August 2002 in one urban and one rural district in East Timor to assess the prevalence of GBV among women 18-49 years of age during and after conflict. The field test used a cross-sectional survey design with a two-stage random selection process. During the year preceding East Timor's 1999 crisis, 23.8 per cent of respondents reported physical assault by an intimate partner; this rate was not significantly different in the year preceding the survey (24.8 per cent). Assault by perpetrators outside the family declined significantly from 24.2 per cent during the crisis to 5.8 per cent post-crisis for physical assault (p<.001) and 22.7 per cent during the crisis to 9.7 per cent post-crisis for sexual assault (p=0.046). The field test stimulated and informed additional research in East Timor, and the complementary findings of these research initiatives continue to be used to develop local policies and programming to prevent and address GBV.

‘Enough lip service!’ Hearing post-colonial experience of gender-based violence

JANE BENNETT offers her thoughts on the implications of ‘hearing’ the prevalence of gender-based violence in African contexts